"Well we'd better get going, I'm on shift at our bookstore soon. It was nice meeting you both." Ashley said, waving goodbye to the principal and Ms. Dunn as she and Hannah walked away.
As they left Ashley saw some girls in trendy clothes, the kind that were always unmistakably in the popular crowd, picking on 2 nerdy girls, one tall and thin and the other a bit plump with thick-rimmed glasses. She heard something about the cheerleading team, but couldn't make out much.
“Some things never change.” Ashley thought with a sigh. No matter what generation it appeared the popular crowd would always look down on those they thought were inferior. She remembered her own experiences being teased in high school. Thankfully Hannah hadn't been taken in by their crowd.
"So, how was your first day back?" Ashley asked her daughter as they got into her car. It wasn't anything flashy or expensive, but it was reliable enough to get Ashley around town.
"It was great seeing my friends again. Most of my teachers are nice." Hannah paused, remembering how rude Ms. Dunn had been to her, but she didn't want her mother to worry. It wasn't like Ms. Dunn was the regular teacher anyway. Hannah considered herself lucky, considering how little she'd learn in history class with someone like Ms. Dunn in charge. "There was some gossip about a couple of the cheerleaders picking on these 2 nerdy girls who are new students. I feel bad for them, the way they were treated by everyone today."
Ashley recalled the girls she had seen and wondered if they were the ones Hannah was talking about. She felt pride, knowing her daughter felt bad for girls that may well have given her trouble in the past. "Maybe they need somebody to reach out and be their friend? You should invite them over, and show them it's not all bad. I'm sure they'd be willing to come."
"Yeah, I think I will," Hannah said as she pulled out her phone and started texting.
A few minutes later Ashley pulled up in front of their home and business. The lower level was lined with shelves, carefully organized and stacked with all forms of books. The upper levels were where Ashley and Hannah lived.
Hannah went upstairs to begin her homework like usual as Ashley got ready for her afternoon shift. It wasn't long before she was approached by a customer. The bell rang, and Ashley turned to see...